Teens On Mars
by Jivra
Summary: This story about the biker mice is happening in an alternative reality. The biker mice are in their teens and one of them is in a race with his team, devoted to win the Golden Bike Trophy. Another is suffering from the hero complex and is bein use for it.
1. Chapter 1

This story about the biker mice is happening in an alternative reality.

The plutarkian war is keeping most of the male and female mice from their homes but life goes on and the biggest Martian city on the planet is the host of the annual biker race this year. The biker mice are in their teens and one of them is in the race together with his team, devoted to win the Golden Bike Trophy. Another of the mice is suffering from the hero complex and is being used because of it.

((The racing rules are a little confusing but I only wrote that to fill out space.))

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Hondey, Fray and his team.

((I got myself a beta reader and have now updated the first chapter. Thank you Beta-reader for helping me with the many errors the first version had.))

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**T.O.M - Teens On Mars**

Chapter 1.

The 241st annual high school race derby was being held once again. Some of the competitors were racing for a scholarship to a collage of their choice. Others were racing just for the fun of it or to win the most wanted trophy, the Golden Bike.

Three schools from the hosting city and several out-of-towners sat in the audience to cheer their favourite racing team – mostly the team from their own school. Five competitors in each team and they were from fifteen different schools.

The first race was about to start. Eight out of fifteen competitors raced to secure their place for their teams. The first four to cross the finish line would still be in the derby, while the last four would have to race again later the same day. And only the first one in that race would have his or hers place secured till the next day.

The first two weeks the racers weren't allowed to use their own bikes. They had to use a non-AI bike that was made according to earthen standard just to keep it more interesting. After that time, if you still had you place secured, the derby turned in to a demolition rally. Only then were they to use their own bikes.

A white furred, pink-eyed mouse named Vinnie was listed for his second year together with his team, The Mamma Jammers. He had already gotten his scholarship to a collage of his choice; he won it last year and was now setting his goal towards the Golden Bike.

Throttle and Modo, Vinnie's best friends and biker-bros cheered, knowing with great confidence that Vinnie would pass his last opponent before crossing the finish line.

Vinnie loved to race. He hasn't lost one yet and he wasn't going to start with the first race of the four weeks long competition. He was set behind at first but he kept his eyes on the road, his hand on the gas and very soon he passed his first opponent. He could feel the adrenalin rise the closer he got to the next rider and then the next. Sometimes he couldn't help but to turn around and make taunting gestures and laugh at the riders he just passed.

Soon he had only one component left to pass and the rider wouldn't just let him have the first place that easy. Vinnie glanced over to her when he came up to her side and noted her tail. She had wrapped it in a X-cross over her chest like bandoleers. When she turned her head towards him, he smiled and gave her a waving gestured of two fingers near his helmet. She answered by giving him the same gesture.

Just when the moment was gone, Vinnie passed the girl with a hard turn on the gas and he crossed the finish line. Most of the crowd cheered and applauded as they jumped off their seats while the rest of the crowd booed.

Vinnie pulled to a stop with a hasty turn to face his fans. He took off his helmet and waved with his left hand. By that, he received an even higher volume of cheers and even if his ears started to hurt, he loved every second of it. The other contenders cheered him too. He was the first winner after all and deserved a hand.

But everyone wasn't happy about it. A rat from a distend school, listed for the first time, came rushing down to the race floor and started to yell at his team-mate, the very same person who Vinnie passed right before the finish line. He was furious of her for losing and wasn't shy to show it. She didn't seem to listen to him though, which made him angrier.

Vinnie couldn't help but to turn his head toward the screaming rat. Why was he so angry with her? This was just the first race and his team was still counted for. The back on the rat's jacket had the team name and Vinnie wanted to remember it so he knew how to recognize the other members in the team. It said "E-Racers".

"What a silly name," he thought.

The girl applauded Vinnie and when he looked at her direction she gave him a thumbs up. He returned the gesture to show her that she was a worthy opponent and would love to race her again.

The girl dismounted her bike and started to walk away with her helmet under her arm, the screaming rat behind her. Vinnie felt sorry she had such a prick for a team-mate, but according of the way she pushed the rat aside she seemed to be able to handle him. Vinnie shook his head at the rat's behaviour before turning towards his own team.

"And that is how you win a race," he said with a big grin.

Later that day, after the second race was over, Vinnie exited the entrance door for competing teams together with Comp and Digger, members of his team, and they found Throttle and Modo, Vinnie's two best friends, waiting right outside. Saga was already there, talking to them. The only one who was missing now was Harley and she was still in the dressing room.

"Way to go, bro," Modo said and gave Vinnie a heavy pat on the back.

"You know me. I'm the baddest mamma jammer. I can't lose. I don't know how to lose."

Throttle was just about to congratulate his friend but was interrupted by Harley. She had just arrived from her dressing room and jogged her way to the bunch.

"Saga," se said. "Remember the rat who started to yell at his team-mate?" Saga looked annoyed and nodded." He kept yelling at her outside her dressing room too, I could hear him through the ventilation. He never even gave her a window to talk back either…"

"Oh, man. Is that rat still on her back?" Vinnie complained and hid his face in his hand.

"And she wasn't even supposed to race today. She filled in for another in her team." Harley continued and placed her hands on her hips.

"What is it with girls and gossip?" Digger said to Harley with a sigh. "It's not exactly our problem. I'm out of here. See ya tomorrow Vin." He also said bye to the others with a nod before he turned to leave.

"Ride free, Digger." Vinnie said and raised his hand in a short wave.

As Digger left, the door to the exit flung opened and that loud screaming rat exited right behind his mouse team-mate. He complained and lectured her in her ear, which she had to fold as if she found his voice annoying. Her unusually long tail was whipping back and forth after each step she took along with her long brown braid. Finally she got a window to cut in to shut him up.

"Calm down, Fray. This was just the first race and the best driver won. You still have several more chances to win your stupid trophy," she spoke with an interesting accent that sounded exotic. It made most of the mice wonder where she really came from sense the rat didn't speak like her.

Curious of how the girl would be able to handle her friend, who was now showing hints of being abusive, The Mamma Jammers started to eavesdrop. Modo and Harley saw the two of them in the corner of their eyes while the others had their backs turned.

The girl had stopped in her track, standing close to the mice and glared at the rat called Fray, tired of the accusations for something that wasn't her fault.

"You would rather lose!" Fray said and pointed an accusing finger at her.

She, however, looked passed the finger and didn't seam to be bothered by it. "Winning isn't everything. I'm just here to have fun and you're taking it away from me by acting like a poor loser."

"I want to win! That is the only reason why we are here…and I am not a loser."

"If you want the Golden Bike I suggest you stop cheating," she said calmly. "The entire team will suffer for your stupidity if you don't."

"I am not a cheater!" Fray shouted.

"Oh, yea? Then explain this to me." She opened her bag and took out a box shaped object in light grey metal. She held it up to Fray as she faced him. "I found this on Gin's bike. The very same bike I used in the race today."

For a second, Fray looked at the object with big eyes, recognising what it was but tried not to show it. He put one of his hands on his hip and almost immediately changed his mind and crossed his arms over his chest instead.

"What is it?" He asked nonchalant.

"You should know. It has you father's cooperation logo on it."

Determined not to get caught read handed; Fray looked at her, pretending he didn't know what she was talking about. When Fray didn't say anything the girl decided to make it easier for him to confess.

"It's a trimmer, Fray. It makes the bike go faster than it should."

"Obviously it didn't work."

"That's because I took it out before the race started. Unlike you, I compete better without cheating."

Fray's fury raised another level and he didn't know what to do with his adrenalin other than to slap her hard on the cheek. The force he laid on the slap made the girl yelp in surprise and pain as she stumbled to the ground and gently touched her cheek with her palm. It was a small consolation for Fray but it has to do for now.

Harley jerked as she felt the chill down her spine. Without knowing it herself she had placed her hand above her own cheek and with the other hand covered her mouth so her gasp wouldn't sound too loud.

Vinnie, Throttle and Comp were standing with their backs turned but when they heard the slap they quickly turned around and moved in to help the girl. Modo acted faster than the others though. He sprinted towards the rat and grabbed his shirt to bring them face to face.

"Didn't ya moma teach you to never hit girls?" He asked between gritted teeth, eyes glowing red in rage.

"Are you touching me, mouse-scum?" The rat said and grabbed Modo's shirt in the same manner.

"You can bet your tail I am."

"No Modo. Let him go." Throttle begged, but Modo was angry and his eyes were glowing bright red. He wouldn't let go until the rat apologizes to the girl and having him promise to leave her alone from now on.

"No. He hit a woman," he growled.

"And I'll do it again." The rat said with a wide sneering smirk. If Fray had found a weakness in a mouse he would be gladly to use it against him and it never mattered if it was a mouse he new or a complete stranger like Modo.

"Shut up, Fray." The girl rose from the ground and rushed over to the two as they shot daggers at each other and knew there would be a fistfight if she didn't interfered. She had to stand on her toes to get close enough for eye contact with the rat but he only had his eyes on the grey mouse. "You do not impress anyone with your macho attitude. Let go of him."

Throttle stood on the other side of the two and tried to reason with his friend too.

"Modo," he said. "Remember what your mom said. Get involved in another fight and she'll send you to the military. Let go of the rat."

Modo's thoughts went to his mother and the promise he made to her the last time he had come home with bloody cuts and bruises all over him, not to mention he had chipped one of his buckteeth.

"You should see the other guy." He had said with glee and received a disappointed look from his mother. From that day he had never used his muscles other than in the gym.

"Yea." Fray said when he saw the mouse's face saddened a little bit at the mention of his mother. Once again Modo shot daggers at him, as he knew what to expect. "Let's not disappoint your moma."

"I said shut up, Fray. You let go too," The girl said with a clear angry voice.

"Now, why would I do that?" Fray asked still holding on to Modo's shirt in a tight grip. "He is asking for it."

"Only because you should have known better than to hit me." She said and let her words sink in before she continued. "On three the both of you."

Throttle took the counting and on three both Modo and Fray let go of each other's shirts. They pushed each other away to let the space between them get as big as possible. Throttle and the members in Vinnie's team relaxed as they thought the ordeal was all over but the mouse girl tensed her body even more.

And she was right. The moment Modo let down his guard, the rat went for an attack. The girl was ready for it and stepped in front of Modo to stop the rat.

"Oh no you don't," she said and held up her index finger at him.

Fray stopped in his charge and glared daggers at her. It looked a little funny to see a tall male rat and a small female mouse in this manner. She was at leased a head shorter than him if not more. Before anything else could happen they heard a van pulled up to the sideway nearby and started to honk. The Mamma Jammer bunch looked at the van's direction and saw a rat driving it, probably a team-mate to Fray and the girl.

"You get your tail in the van. No more fights until the derby is over." The girl pointed her index finger towards the van instead to make he point more affective.

"And who's gonna make me?" Fray said more as a threat than a question. "You?"

"Yes."

He was curious of her explanation to how the little mouse girl would be able to keep him controlled for a month. Fray focused his eyes on hers. Getting deeper and deeper, looking for a sign of weakness or fear. He didn't find anything but her ice-cold stare.

"I know the real reason why Gin couldn't race today and if you don't behave I WILL tell the commissioners about it. Which means no trophy for you," she said and she reeked with anger.

"You would never risk disqualification or lose the chance for that scholarship."

"I would if I have to."

Fray knew she was speaking the truth and could do nothing else than give her a death stare and growl before he turned and walked away with hard clenching fists and quick steps towards the van.

Throttle, Modo and Vinnie's team turned their heads to the girl and saw her relax a heavy sigh. One of them was just about to talk to her but she didn't stay long enough. She followed Fray and the closer he got to the van the faster the girl walked.

"I can't believe it." Vinnie said surprised. " She is going with him?"

Throttle turned to the rest of his friend together with Modo who was just as surprised as Vinnie.

"She doesn't have much of a choice," he said

Harley continued. "She is still a member in his team and both of them are very far from home. We live here."

"But the way he treats her…" Modo tried to argue.

"That is not our problem." Throttle cut him short and got looks from all of them. He shrugged his shoulder in embarrassment. He couldn't believe he had just said that either. "I wanted to see how it felt like to say something like that." He explained with a shy smile and a shrug of his shoulders.

Harley glanced over to the rat and the mouse girl once more. After a few seconds she taped her hand on Vinnie's chest to get his attention. He looked over to the fighting two, making Throttle and Modo look too.

The mouse girl was just about to hop in to the van when Fray suddenly pushed her with his foot so she fell to the ground.

"You are now where you belong, in the dirt like the rest of you kind." He laughed, followed by giggles from the rest of the team. "You can walk from now on," he sneered to her.

"You don't have the authority to kick me out of the van." She rose from the ground. "I have a permanent seat."

"It has been revoked."

He closed the door and the van drove away, leaving the mouse girl where she stood on the sidewalk.

She was very angry and wasn't shy to show it. She stamped the ground and yelled a word in an unfamiliar tongue but according to her body languish, the members in Vinnie's team and his friends thought it might have been a swear.

"Should we give her a ride to her hotel? I mean, as a thank you for keeping Modo out of trouble," Harley asked.

She got weird looks from everyone and asked them. "What?"

"Do you wanna go over there and ask her?" Vinnie's said a little nervous. "Cause I don't."

Throttle and Modo started to laugh at him.

"Who could imagine?" Modo said followed by Throttle.

"The baddest mamma jammer is afraid of a little girl's anger."

Vinnie didn't respond to the teasing two. He just snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. But that only lasted for a few seconds.

Then he got tired of the laughing and said to his bros. "I dare one of you to go over there. The loser has to bring root beer to the entire team till the derby is over."

Throttle and Modo looked at each other with a look of nervousness in their faces. Neither of them really wanted to face an angry girl. Harley, however, raised her hand eagerly and waved it back and forth to get the guys attention.

"I'll do it, I'll do it," she said but got dismissed by Vinnie.

"No, not you. I dared them," he said and nodded towards Throttle and Modo.

Harley crossed her arms above her chest and glared at Vinnie. He didn't notice it though as he turned his attention back to his bros.

"Well?" He asked. "Who dare walk over to the angry lil' Lady?"

Throttle started to smirk at Vinnie after a short moment and the rest of the company looked at him with puzzled looks.

"Well, sense I seem to be braver than all of you together, I think I'll go."

He turned around to walk over to the girl but found the spot where she was standing just a minute ago, empty. He looked from right to left but she was gone.

"Aww." Vinnie said in mock and placed his hand on his cheek. "She's gone."

Throttle turned back to the white mouse, lowered his sunglasses to the half part of his muzzle and looked at him above the frame. "The bet is still on, Air-head. We just have to change it a little."


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Please keep in mind that this takes place in a parallel universe. The characters personalities are not bond to be exactly like we know them.

**T.O.M - Teens On Mars**

Chapter 2.

The most popular young adult café on this side of the city was "The Den." Students from the two nearest schools came there when the school day was over to spend an hour or two relaxing before they headed home. The owner was a good friend to most of the students and was now holding it opened for the victory party special for the Mamma Jammers and their schoolmates. Most of them came from the same class.

Vinnie sat by a table together with Throttle, Modo, Comp and Sidney while Harley sat by the table right next to the guys with Saga. Sidney, a grey- brown furred mouse with black short hair, hadn't been at the race earlier because of his exams. He was very interested in the story Vinnie was telling, how he taunted the riders when he passed them and how he won the race all together.

"…and when I came back to our team, Harley was more than all over me…"

Harley heard what Vinnie said and rose from her seat to walk the tiny distance to him and flick his ear in anger. "Shut up, Punk," she said. "I don't act like that at all."

The mice around the table giggled and laughed as Vinnie rubbed the sore spot. "Ow, man. That hurts. Gee. What's up your tail?"

"You are what's up my tail. You know that I'm dating Stoker and still you think I'll come to you."

"Stoker ain't here," Vinnie said and received a death glare from Harley. He immediately lowered his eyes to the table in light shame. "Sorry."

Stoker wasn't there. Vinnie was right about that but bringing it up hurt Harley's feelings. Stoker had left them to join in the war against the Plutarkians almost a year ago. Usually the younger mice had an excuse not to participate in the war yet due to school and their young age but Stoker had run out of them and was forced to go. Harley had missed him terribly and feared hearing from his family Stoker had fallen in battle or missing in action.

The silence fell over the table, as every one knew Harley's pain even if she didn't show it. She didn't like the sudden silence and changed the subject when she laid eyes on Throttle.

"And you," she said, pointing a finger at him. "Why did you change the dare to a mission?"

Throttle looked at her, puzzled at first, then he tried to speak but only a stutter came out from his mouth as he was surprised by her accusation. Vinnie followed the changed of subject and took the chance to answer for him.

"Let me explain to you how some things work." He leaned on the back support on his chair. "Sometimes the dare, or a bet if you will, needs to be changed accordingly to the situation. In our case we only had to change a few words and sentences such as dare´, walk over´…" Vinnie stopped in his track to think what it was he was going to say and realised he started it wrong. "…Well actually we changed every single word and added a few more."

"I didn't ask how you turned it to a mission, Dimwit. I asked why did you change it?"

Throttle took a sip from his glass of root beer before he gave Harley the real reason why he changed the dare. "Harley, this isn't so bad. I mean, now that I've done with all my exams I don't have anything else to focus on. Carbine is gone so spending time with her is out of the question and now that a stranger is clearly in need for help…well, I can't turn my back on that. I wanna save the girl."

"Correction," Vinnie spoke up. "Lil'lady."

Throttle smiled and repeated the nickname they gave the strange mouse girl since they didn't know her real name.

Saga, however, couldn't stand to listen anymore of this when her mind was grudging at something that had bothered her the hole day. "Excuse me but am I the only one here who actually heard what that Fray-rat said?" All eyes were on her now and neither of them understood what she was referring to. "He confessed to be cheating right in front of us. I think we own to the commissioners to let them know about it."

Throttle rose from his seat and walked over to Saga so that no one else but her and his closest friends could hear him. "No. We can't do that."

She looked at him, puzzled and still with a small amount of anger. She didn't like it when others cheated and if they won a race because of that she would kick some tails. "Why not?"

"If the E-racers get disqualified they will go home and I won't be able to save the girl." He took off his shades and gave Saga sad-looking eyes and his voice sounded more like a whining than pleading and that irritated her.

"I hate it when you do that," she said and tried to move further away from him as he leaned in.

"Then make me stop by promising that you wont say anything to the commissioners," he said and gave her puppy dog eyes. Saga moved even further away from him but he kept coming and soon she sat on the edge of her chair. "Pleeeeeeeeease?" Throttle pleaded and stopped his approach just an inch away from Saga's face.

"ALL RIGHT!!" Saga shouted. "I won't say anything, just get out of my face. You're creeping me out."

"Thank you," Throttle said cheerfully and laid one hand on her shoulder to show her he appreciated her silence.

"Basterd," she muttered and shook off Throttle's hand.

The gang started to laugh as Throttle put on his shades again and stood back up so Saga could sit upright on her chair again. Harley however didn't even crack a smile. She was still sad and angry but didn't care if she showed it to her friends. She knew that they would leave her alone with her thoughts about Stoker but they didn't know that she was thinking of something else.

"I have to go," she suddenly said and left the café with haste.

Saga was about to follow Harley but Throttle stopped her just when she rose from her seat. "Hey! What gives?" she blurted out.

"I believe she wants to be alone," he said and Saga sat back down without further protest.

For a moment, Vinnie and Comp tried to look sad but when they looked in each other's eyes, neither of them could hold a straight face. "Party!" both of them cheered and smashed their root beers together and took a sip.

§--§

Harley however didn't share their enthusiasm. She had heard the cheers of the party before she took her bike and rode off in to the early night. She was mad. Mad at Vinnie. He was such a child.

Throttle and the others might have thought Harley would go home when she left the café but she didn't. Instead she turned her bike to the left in the crossing where she usually rode straight ahead.

It took her a few minuets before she arrived to her destination. She pulled to a stop and stayed on her bike, looking in silence at the view that lay before her. She had stopped close to the edge but she wasn't close enough for the bike to fall over.

The steep was long. It took forever to find the bottom of it but still she could see the wasteland of the desert. The lookout point was indeed beautiful no matter what kind of mood the visitor was in. No matter how angry or sad, happy or cheerful, the view amazed everyone. It was always soothing.

The sun was setting in the horizon and reflected orange and brown colours with many different hues in the red sky. The mountains around were dark brown, almost black as the setting sun hid behind them.

The wind rustled the leaves in the trees and ran through Harley's hair. She sighed in relief as her troubles left her and joined the wind to travel far, far away. Every time she came here she became at piece.

"Seeing you like this takes my breath away."

Harley was startled by the voice behind her and turned around to see who was able to come this close without making a sound. At first she could only see a silhouette of the person but she recognised the form. She smiled wide when she saw who it was.

"I almost gave up hope. I'm so glad you came," she said and the two of them came closer for a tight hug.

§--§

The first week, and a few days in the second week of the derby was a lot of hard work for each team that competed. Five of them had already been cut and two had been disqualified for cheating. Which left eight teams left in the competition.

Vinnie and the Mamma Jammers were obviously still in the race and one of the top three. Amazingly, the E-racers were in the league too and they had beaten the Mamma Jammers in the top count. Vinnie knew it was because of the Lil'lady. She had taken the female rat, Gin's place every time it was her turn and won each time. She had even taken the first place right above Vinnie a few times.

Of course Vinnie didn't mind losing the spot during the derby and especially to the lady, but in a few days, the derby would become a demolition rally and he had to stop dreaming (his team-mates words) and turn on the gas to aim for the wins. Vinnie got a little confused about that because to him, he always aimed for the wins.

Modo had been acting like the group's bodyguard whenever he saw members of the E-racers cast an evil eye towards any of his friends. He would stand with his arms crossed over his chest and glare back. Even if he manages to look somewhat scary, the tension the rats gave the Mamma Jammers was stressful for the mice.

Whenever Lil'lady noticed the rats glare, she slapped her teammates on the shoulder or on the back of their heads to make them stop and mind their own business.

Modo suspected it was because of Throttle. Lil'lady had obviously noticed that he seemed to always be nearby the Mamma Jammers and the E-racers. Throttle had also been smiling her way when she looked.

Though things weren't that dandy for Modo. First of all, he started to get this tendency of getting himself in to trouble with the E-racers-rats on the streets after each racing day. He came home with a couple of bruises and that made his mother very angry. She threatened to send him to the military two years early if he didn't behaved.

"But mama," he had pleaded. "I tried to prevent this from happening but the rats just kept on provoking me every chance they got."

"Why would you even give them a chance?" she had asked him. "One more fight, mister, and you will be on the next vessel to the military school and that's final."

Two days later, he actually got in to a fight with the rats. Well, actually it was only with Fray. Fray's friends stood around and watched.

It was in the middle of the night and Modo was on his way home from the arcade. He, Vinnie and Throttle had a Mortal Combat contest. Vinnie got the top score of course.

Modo was the only one of his friends to live in this part of the neighbourhood, around twelve blocks away from Throttle, so naturally he walked alone. Fray had somehow found out about it. He and two of his team mates, Biff and Brawl, had waited in the alley not far away from Modo's door.

Even if Modo had scored a couple of successful hits, it didn't compared to what Fray did to him. Modo had entered the front door with bloody cuts, a black eye, dislocated shoulder, stomach ache after numerous of kicks and a slightly twisted knee. Modo's mother was terrified the moment she saw her son come in. She even cried in silence when she tended his wounds. Modo on the other hand had whispered three words to her just before he fell asleep a moment after he hit his head on the pillow when his mother guided him down on his bed.

"I'm sorry mama."

§--§

Throttle stood right outside the arena, a little on the side, waiting for Vinnie and the Mamma Jammers. He was alone. Modo wasn't with him this time. Throttle's ears hang low on his head and he looked down at his feet often. It was easy to see he was sad. He didn't even feel like giving Lil'lady a smile when she walked past him to the entrance door for competing teams. She gave him with a questioning look and he barely managed to look at her. Fray winked at him right before he disappeared from view behind the entrance door.

Vinnie and Harley arrived after a few minuets and stopped to talk to Throttle before they had to go in and change.

"Throttle. What is it? You look so sad," Harley said concerned.

"Yeah, and where is Modo?" Vinnie asked after he had looked around but didn't find the grey mouse anywhere.

Throttle hesitated a little in order to find the right words. "He's not coming," he finally said. "He got in to a fight yesterday and now his mom is sending him to the military early."

"WHAT!!" both Vinnie and Harley shouted. "How…why…. who did he fight?"

"Who do you think? Fray, the fucking rat!!" Throttle shouted back. Vinnie and Harley knew he wasn't angry with them, still, Harley thought it was scary to see him like that. "He and his coward E-racer friends ambushed him last night and the son-of-a-bat manage to overpower him."

"Calm down," Harley whispered to him but Throttle wouldn't listen.

"No, I won't clam down. How can I? Three rats tackling one mouse? Is that fair? They passed me a couple of minuets ago, with Lil'lady, and the fuckers sneered at me, knowing what they had done."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Harley asked and both Throttle and Vinnie looked at her. "Nothing. Don't do anything."

Throttle couldn't believe what he was hearing and neither did Vinnie. "What?"

"That would be exactly what Fray wants," she continued. "He is looking for trouble and he started with Modo. He won the fight last night because Modo had accepted the challenge. Don't make him a winner, Throttle. Don't give in to his wishes…and that goes for you too, Vinnie."

"What did I do?" Vinnie whined and looked Harley's way.

"I know you, albino. You will demand revenge the moment you lay eyes on Fray or his teammates unless someone stops you. Well, I'm stopping you now and I am warning you. Do not go near the E-racers or I'll beat you senseless." Harley finished by pocking her index finger in Vinnie's chest before she turned around and ran to the entrance door.

Both Throttle and Vinnie looked after her before they turned their gaze at each other. "Better do what she says," both agreed and left the spot. Vinnie to the same door Harley went through and Throttle headed for the arena to get a seat for today's five racers.

§--§

After the third race, Vinnie thought it was weird that he didn't see three of the members in E-racers, Lil'lady was one of them. He had heard Throttle say that he had seen her go in the entrance door but Vinnie couldn't find her. He looked over to the E-racers but he could only see a bunch of rats there. Harley had been gone too for a while before she suddenly appeared right next to Saga.

"And where have you been?" Vinnie asked her.

"Why?" she asked with a little bit of an attitude.

"Oh, nothing," Vinnie said, matching her tone of voice. "It's just that you where supposed to be in the depot pit. Saga had to fill in for you and frankly, the last three races didn't go very well because of that."

"Hey!" came Saga's protest but was being ignored. "Jerk."

"Never you mind," Harley said to Vinnie and turned away.

Vinnie however didn't like the way she behaved. For the last week and a half, Harley seemed to keep secrets from her friends and she started to pull back from them. Always being on her own.

She often came up with excuses to leave the group and when someone asked her where she had been or what she'd been doing, she only answered the same way she had done now. With just a few words, telling her friends to mind their own business and doing so with the same attitude. Vinnie started to become agitated by her. He made an angry face in frustration and turned away too.

Saga sighed, looking from Harley to Vinnie and from Vinnie to Harley. "You guys need stress release," she said. "There will be a party on Saturday, the celebration when the derby turns in to a demolition rally for the remaining teams and their invited friends, and if you just hold on until then, I can guarantee you two will get on a better mood."

Vinnie and Harley looked at each other for a moment and their faces slowly turned from a tensed frown to a calmed faint smile.

"I love parties…" Vinnie said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"And I like dancing…" Harley smiled.

§--§

A few days later came Saturday and the party everyone had waited for. The stress release everyone needed before the real rally began.

Throttle met up with Vinnie and Comp. They were dressed in what they called party clothes. Vinnie was wearing black leather pants, his purple bandana around his neck, a pair of black boots and nothing more. Comp had dark blue pants along with a white shirt and a classy thin indoor coat together with brown shoes. Throttle had his regular black leather vest on together with a newly washed white shirt and black pants.

Harley and Saga came to meet the males outside the premise. Harley was dressed in a short brown suede skirt with a black thick belt, a light blue shirt and a long cream coloured long coat. Saga was dressed in a tight fitting dress in dark green colour that reminded the guys of the military's main colour.

The males got a surprise when they saw who came together with the girls. Modo was walking high and proud behind them although he was walking with a limp, wearing black jeans and a stylish black short-sleeved shirt.

"Modo, my mouse!" Vinnie shouted as he high-fived his biker bro with a big grin on his face. "What happened? I thought you'd be running the military grounds by now."

Modo grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what happened. For some reason my mama changed her mind concerning sending me away."

"I wanna go in," Harley said and jumped up and down impatiently. The guys looked at her like she was crazy, but she didn't let that bother her. "Move your tails," she spoke and started to push Comp in the back towards the premises front door.

The little gang walked in and was greeted by the heavy music and all the different smells in the large ballroom. A mixture of sweat and different kinds of food.

They turned their attention to the live band on the stage. The singer, Tony Coral-rain, was famous for his rock and roll country music and very much appreciated by all the bikers and racers there.

"It's Tony Coral-rain!" Saga shouted in delight as she saw the singer. "I love him!"

"You don't seem to be the only one," she heard Comp say as he looked at the bundle of fan girls right next to the stage, screaming their love and affections for the band.

"Damn." Saga muttered.

Two hours later, the party was still going strong as most of the mice were dancing in the middle of the large room and some had placed themselves right next to the snack bar tables, helping themselves to refreshments.

Tony Coral-rain, took a brake between songs and announced to everybody.

"Ok, I will now walk around among you during the next song and give the microphone to whomever, if that person impress me, I will bring that person on stage and let him or her sing the song of their own choice. Are you ready?"

The music started and the crowd cheered as they all recognised witch song it was. Tony started to sing the lyrics from 'Life is a highway' and stepped down on the dance floor.

Harley walked to Throttle and tapped his shoulder excitedly. "Looks who's here," she said and pointed towards the dancing crowd.

Throttle looked at the direction she was pointing but it took him a few seconds before he saw whom Harley was pointing. His eyes widened as he saw her, dressed in her long black leather coat together with a black leather top and a matching pair of leather pants. She also had the same brown biker boots she always wore. "Lil'Lady…" Throttle whispered with a smile.

She was dancing together with a male mouse around her own age, white as snow on earth and with a little bit of blue tone in his hair and a black tattoo right under his left eye, the one not hidden under his hair. Wearing a black leather vest and a pair of dark pants that Throttle newer saw the colour of. Lil'Lady's hair was out from the regular long braid and it flowed like waves with every move she made, looking like an ocean. The girl was moving her mouth and Throttle knew she was singing along with the song. According to her dancing partner's pleasant face, Throttle knew she must be a good singer.

Soon he would have it confirmed that she was. Tony Coral-rain saw the white male, Lil'Lady was dancing with, waving the singer over to make him listen to her singing. Tony handed over the microphone to her and at first she didn't noticed her own voice from the speakers, she had her eyes closed at the moment.

"Life is a hi-ighway. I wanna dri-ive it all night lo-ong…what tha…?" She noticed the microphone in front of her and looked at Tony both confused and a little embarrassed but she held a smile. She giggled and tried to hide her face.

Tony was indeed impressed by her voice and asked her dancing partner if he could borrow her. The white male gave the singer his permission and he took the girl's hand and guided her through the dancing mass up on stage.

As the song ended, Tony announced that the female beside him had the most beautiful voice he had ever heard and asked her right there if she would do the honour to chose the next song and sing it to everybody. Cheers echoed through the room and after a few seconds the all could see the female nod her head and the she whispered something in Tony's ear.

Before the music started, Lil'Lady had to say something to her audience. "Ok, I have never done something like this before so be nice to me…. oh, and don't tell my mother," she added the last in a light laughter and made some of the crowd giggle.

The band started the music and Lil'Lady hummed before the lyrics to 'Holding out for a hero'. Throttle fixed his ears as he recognised the song.

§--§

She started to sing the first line and the voice struck Throttle like a wooden bat. Immediately he wondered what she was doing racing when she could get a scholarship using just her voice.

"_Where have all the good males gone _

_and where are all the gods? _

_Where's the street-wise Hercules _

_to fight the rising odds? _

_Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed? _

_Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need."_

The music picked up a little more swing in time for the chorus and Lil'Lady danced a little at the same time. Her steps made her hips and that long tail swing from side to side.

"_I need a hero! _

_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night. _

_He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight. _

_I need a hero! _

_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light. _

_He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon and he's gotta be larger than life."_

She followed the music as it turned in to a little slower pace for the next verse.

_"Somewhere after midnight, _

_in my wildest fantasy. _

_Somewhere just beyond my reach _

_there's someone reaching back for me. _

_Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat. _

_It's gonna take a supermouse to sweep me off my feet."_

Then, in time for the chorus, she picked up the speed along with the music and Throttle could have sworn that she had found him in the crowd and winked at him by the time the first sentence came.

_"I need a hero! _

_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night. _

_He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight. _

_I need a hero! _

_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light. _

_He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon and he's gotta be larger than…"_

Suddenly she stopped singing and her eyes where fixed towards the entrance. Throttle saw in her face that whatever she was looking at was the reason she stopped. He turned his head towards the entrance and saw Fray the rat together with Biff, Brawl and the other male rat Tonic. They saw Lil'Lady on the stage and headed right towards her, though they found it difficult to move forward through the crowd.

"I'm sorry," Lil'Lady apologised in the microphone. "I gotta go..." She threw the mic to Tony who caught it and she leaped of the stage, heading towards the emergency exit.

He couldn't just stay and watch. The rats came in closer to the exit and Throttle did too, though he had it easier to move forward since he ran near the walls where it was empty of people. Harley shouted after him, not knowing what he was going to do, she followed.

§--§


End file.
